Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s comment that “the rupee is not sliding, and rather the dollar is strengthening” has led to some scathing responses from the opposition leaders. The finance minister was addressing an event in the United States when - responding to a question on the anticipation of challenges - she said: “First of all I would not look at it as the rupee sliding, but as dollar strengthening. All the currencies are performing against the strengthening dollar."
“I am not talking about technicalities but it is a matter of fact that the Indian rupee probably has withstood this dollar rate going up,” she added. “I think we have performed much better than many other emerging markets.”
The slide has been a matter of concern lately as the world economy recuperates from the pandemic. On Friday, the rupee depreciated 8 paise to close at 82.32 (provisional) against the US dollar.
Meanwhile, several opposition leaders on Sunday criticised the finance minister over the comment. “Rupee is not sliding, the dollar is strengthening, says Finance Minister, India. Okay. (sic)," Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi, who is a member of Uddhav Thackeray’s party, tweeted.
"Rupee Not Sliding, Dollar Strengthening’. An absurd statement made by our finance minister Ms.#NirmalaSitharaman. (sic)," tweeted Clyde Crasto, the national spokesperson of Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). "Making such statements will not hide the failure of her government to take care of our country's economy. She must concentrate more on looking after her ministry and concentrate less on trying to win #LokSabha constituencies for #BJP in 2024," he further added, linking the comment to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
"She must not forget that she is the finance minister and her duty is to safeguard the economy of India first. Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman must refrain from making such statements that lead to mockery," he wrote in another post.
{{/usCountry}}"She must not forget that she is the finance minister and her duty is to safeguard the economy of India first. Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman must refrain from making such statements that lead to mockery," he wrote in another post.
{{/usCountry}}Aam Aadmi Party Delhi spokesperson Ghanendra Bhardwaj also tweeted on the remark. "It's not her mistake.. she comes from a school of thought where lying has become a habit."
"Dollar is getting stronger, this statement is similar to the one as 'people are not dying of starvation in the country, but they are going to attain salvation by sacrificing their lives!'" he further wrote, taking a dig on global hunger index report and Centre's response to it.